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Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Everyone else is doing end-of-year lists and it'd be appropriate to do a best of 2014 thing this week. But I did that already and in the last two weeks since a normal show, there's been loads of good stuff put out, so normal service it is.

The Skints - The Cost Of Living Is Killing Me
From last March and from London, off an EP called Short Change. Pretty much the battleground for the general election.

Ex Hex - Don't Wanna Lose
Rips was their debut LP which came out in October. They're an all-girl three-piece from Washington DC.

Blossoms - Blow
New stuff out of Manchester. This is their debut single which you can get from iTunes.

Cover Version CornerRide/The Divine Comedy - Vapour Trail
Not hugely different versions, though it's a different sound for Neil Hannon than normal. his version pops up on the B-side of the 1999 single The Pop Star's Fear Of The Pollen Count. Before that, a shoegaze classic from the 1991 album Nowhere and excitement as to them reforming.

The Daintees - October Song
New stuff from Newcastle where Martin George Stephenson is back with his badn The Daintees. Haunted Highways is the new album and it came out on the 21st.

Emmy The Great - Swimming Pool
Ooh, that voice. Emma Lee Moss is Emmy The Great and her new EP is S.

Milo's Planes - Lost Talent
Bristol now, and a taster for a forthcoming album. I got nothing apart from that.

The Lucid Dream - Unchained
From Carlisle, this is the second single from their forthcoming second album.

Pemuda Setampat - Sebuah Pemuda
All I know about this is that it's Indonesian dub. And you know that can't be bad.

Sleater-Kinney - Bury Our Friends
Their first album in 10 years comes out next month. No Cities To Love is the title. Splendid stuff and welcome back.

One Degree of SeparationMartha And The Muffins - Echo BeachAnguish Sandwich - Guangzhou Romance Musical Instruments Co
That was Martha and The Muffins' only UK top 40 single, reaching number 10 in 1980. After that, 46 was as high as they got. After that, a track from the album An Actual Thing which came out in November and is available on bandcamp. They're from Northampton. And I won't insult you by pointing out the link.

Aidan Moffatt - The World Around Us
Ex of Arab Strap and with a collection of previously unreleased material to share. Called Vagrants_09_14 - Vagrants given these tracks were previously homeless and the rest to do with it's release - it's bloody good.

Muslimgauze - 100 Great Turks
Bryn Jones was Muslimgauze. At the time of his death in 1999, he'd released over 60 albums and since then, that number is well on the way to having doubled as he left behind vast volumes of work which is now curated by his nephew. This is off a new EP called Deceiver vol 3 & 4. The original Deceiver came out in 1996, but it's still so fresh. This is just a fantastic track.

Lone - Life Time Loop
Nottingham's Matt Cutler is Lone and this very Boards Of Canada track is a follow-up to the 2014 album Reality Testing. Lovely.

Friday, 26 December 2014

If you're not aware, I also do some stuff over at In Bed With Maradona. There's some cross-over, inevitably, but any stuff I like that's... shall we say 'not exactly radio-friendly' tends to end up there.
Anyway, as part of that, the editor said a few weeks ago, 'why not make a playlist of your 50 favourite tracks of the year?' So I did. On Spotify. It's not in any particular order - not a chart or anything.It's here, in this link. Go listen at your leisure.

The thing is, however, that not everything I wanted to put on it lives on Spotify. So here are the things that should be on that list but aren't.

Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Our 100th show! Wooo... And also our third christmas spectacular. A bumper crop this year.

Wild Billy Childish and The Musicians Of The British Empire - Poundland Christmas
2008 was when capitalism fell and was propped up on the backs of the people at the bottom of that particular pyramid scheme. That's when this was recorded and it's as relevant now as then. Thatcher's Children is the album and there's new stuff from Childish coming soon, both with his band CTMF and in collaboration with the Wave Pictures. Both are keenly anticipated round these parts.

The Fall - Jingle Bell RockThe traditional Fall festive cover version. This is off a Peel session from 1994. Unmistakeable.

Broken Down Lorry - All I Want For Christmas Is A Bit Of Peace And Quiet
Twitter is, contrary to popular opinion, a wonderful thing. I put a plea out for new and unsigned to send me their christmas records and one that came back was this. Recorded around 2010 for no particular reason. Key change!

Eels - Christmas Is Going To The Dogs
Originally recorded in 2000, you can find this on Useless Trinkets... a collection of B-sides, rarities and previously unreleased stuff which came out in 2008.

Slow Club - Christmas TV
To Sheffield and this lovely number dates from 2009 and the Christmas Thanks For Nothing EP. Just a lovely record.

Teenage Fanclub - Christmas Eve
You can't beat Teenage Fanclub. Indeed, I've been a fan since I was a teenager. This is on a compilation done by XFM for the Big Issue which came out in 2000 called It's A Cool Cool Christmas.

Alton Ellis and The Lipsticks - Merry Merry ChristmasThe legendary Trojan Christmas Album has many gems on it and this is no exception. The album is just wonderful and gets such an airing round ours that christmas without ska just isn't a real christmas.

Bootsy Collins - Diss Christmiss
And now to funk it all up. From the 2006 album Christmas Is 4 Real. I play those last two to reflect how christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world where it isn't grey, miserable and damp. Just a totally different mindset.

Lullaby For The Working Class - The Utilitarian Christmas Jingle
This really paints a Dickensian - maybe even Hogarthian - image of christmas past. I don't know too much about it other than they're from Lincoln, Nebraska and it came out in 1998.

Los Campesinos! - The Trains Don't Run It's Christmas DayThe Crookes - You're Just Like Christmas
Two new releases for this christmas and two of my favourites - I'm holding my favourite back until later in the show. The Crookes are from Sheffield and that's very jolly while Cardiff's Los Campesinos! do something different. It's quite like I see the season. It can be boring, you do the same things year after year, it can be fraught and tetchy, but you know what? I wouldn't change it for anything.

The Kinks - Father Christmas
A traditional story of a department store Santa getting mugged. From 1977 and made an appearance on the 1978 reissue of the album Misfits.

Tomorrow's World - I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You
We've played these a few times before, it's Jean-Benoit Dunckel, erstwhile of Air, and Lou Hayter from New Young Pony Club. This is from 2009 and the Cherry Red Records compilation Christmas Cocktails.

Broken Record - My Beer-Drunk Soul Is Sadder Than All The Dead Christmas Trees In The World
Hell of a title. Hell of a tune as well to be fair. This is brand spanking new from the Edinburgh outfit.

Matt Bouvier - Santa Give Me Something To Live ForTo Sweden now, Malmo in fact, and another brand new record. This starts horribly, but that doesn't last for long before it gets going. Out now on a Small Bear Records compilation.

Clinic - Christmas
The B-side to the 2002 single Come Into Our Room, that's a jolly pleasant tune.

Christ. - Making A Snow Angel
Straight out of the Boards Of Canada envelope, Christ. is Scotsman Christopher Horne and that's off the 2007 album Blue Shift Emissions.

Mike Harding - Christmas 1914
From 1977, but in this centenary year even more poignant. Just what did happen that christmas may never be truly known, but the accepted tale certainly has an air of the myth about it. Anyway, top record.

DJ Yoda - 5-Minute Christmas Mini-Mix
The star of Huddersfield's Festival of Light earlier this month, here's him doing his thing with christmas clips and samples back in 2010.

John MOuse - When A Child Is Born
This is the christmas record of this very christmas time. Bloody brilliant. His album The Death Of John MOuse was one of the highlights of the year and this caps off 2014 nicely. Absolutely love it. The right balance of bitter and light.

Half Man Half Biscuit - All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Got to finish with this one, as is now traditional. From 1986 and the EP Trumpton Riots, an all-time classic.

Here's that on YouTube:

and a tiny bit of it on Soundcloud:

So there we are. 100 shows. Raise of the bat, acknowledge the crowd on all four sides before digging back in. The 90s were nervous, but we got there. Now, nothing silly for a few overs and get focus back.
Merry christmas to you all. Back for one more time in 2014 next week.

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Knuckle - Bad Brains
Local boys done good, from one of the EPs of the year, This Week's Been Hell. You really must get this.

Quarterbacks - Center
Don't like the name, but love the track. From their forthcoming debut LP, due mid-February.

Wireheads - Five Grand
To Adelaide now, and another debut album, this time from last May. The Late Great Wireheads.

Cover Version CornerThe Bonzo Dog Doodah Band/The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies - I'm The Urban Spaceman
Ah, what a great record. The Bonzos biggest hit and off their best selling album Tadpoles. The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies remain something of a mystery, but have brought it bang up to date.

Kagoule - Gush
To Nottingham now. It's been a decent year for Kagoule with well-received EPs. 2015 sees them release a highly-anticipated album. Expecting big things.

Male Bonding - A Kick To The Face
New single from these and a new album to follow. Have some of that.

Black Lips - Boys In The Wood
Underneath The Rainbow came out in March. A blend of blues and country. A bit Black Keys, but not so samey that it gets lost.

Viet Cong - Continental Shelf
Another highly-anticipated album from a band we expect to hear a lot about in 2015. From Calgary, they will draw comparisons to Arcade Fire with the Canadian thing and Interpol, but again have enough about them for those comparisons to fall a bit wide of the mark.

Mega Emotion - Uncomfortable
To Norwich and a new single from a band we've featured several times already. This is due a release on cassette on January 15 on Post/Pop.

Lovers Open Fire - Tracer
These are from Wrexham - lots of good stuff coming out of Wales at the moment - and the album is Live Dinner Theatre which came out in March. Sold out as a physical item, you can get a download from their bandcamp page.

One Degree of Separation The Jesus and Mary Chain - Sometimes AlwaysPrimal Scream - Come Together
I've done this link before - Bobby Gillespie - but what the hey. Possibly my favourite J&MC track from 1994's Stoned And Dethroned. That's the full 10 minute version of Come Together, largely because I can and the radio edit is rubbish. From Screamdelica of course which despite being 23 years old still sounds fresh.

R Seiliog - Velcro For Vortex
Robin Edwards records as R Seiliog and the album In Hz is full of these soundscapes. He's Welsh too. Told you.

Spectres - Sea Of Trees
A debut album is due next year on Sonic Cathedral. That could be Can. It goes a bit experimental in the middle, but it's none the worse for that. If this is anything to go by, the album should be a belter.

ABC - All Of My Heart
A shameless '80s indulgence. Indeed, does it get more '80s than this? Doubtful, but still a belting tune.

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Not feeling so great, so more tunes and less waffle. Relief for us all there.

The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies - The Wild Ride of Ichabod Crane
If you're going to a play a zingy intrumental, do it up top I always reckon. Off a compilation from Garage Punk records called Garage Monsters that came out in 2012. I must do an all-instrumental show one day.

CTMF - It's So Hard To Be Happy
From the forthcoming album Acorn Man, which is sure to be good.

The Invisible Band - Circles
A great piece of songwriting from this trans-Northern outfit. The new EP is called Never Thought About It and you can stream it on Soundcloud.

Cover Version CornerThe Clash/Tijuana No! - Spanish Bombs
I've been learning a bit about the Spanish Civil War lately. Anyway, the Clash from London Calling in 1979, then a Mexican band from Tijuana with their version from 1994's Transgresores De La Lay. Offenders Act to you and me.

Julian Casablancas + The Voidz - Where No Eagles Fly
Him from out of The Strokes with a side project. Bit mainstream for me, perhaps, but I quite like it. I think.

Faerground Accidents - We Hate The Same Things
Looking forward to big things from these in 2015. Remember where you heard them first. This is the flip side from the double-A with the sublime Back In Town.

Baby Strange - VVV
New single from these. I know it's out now, I know they're from Glasgow and that's it.

Memory In Plant - This Love
To Tel Aviv now. An Epic Triumph is the album which came out in August.

Firestations - French Caves
Also out in August on the long player Never Closer which came out on Waltz Time records.

Lee Negin - Just Saying...
Been after playing this for ages. Lee Negin is from San Francisco but now based in South Korea. This is off the album The Chhez Chronicles vol V which came out in July. It's an absolute joy.

One Degree of SeparationThe Cure - A ForestHaunted House - Lost In A Forest
Haunted House are a collaboration between Lianne Hall and Paul Hartnoll who now presumably has a lot of time on his hands. That's their debut single. Before that, from the 1980 album Seventeen Seconds.

Jonnie Common - Better Man
Another one I've been waiting for a while to get hold of, this is brilliant. Reminiscent of Arab Strap, this is off the wonderful album Trapped In Amber. Go get it.

The Soundcarriers - Boiling Point
Another one from their album Entropicalia which will be sure to be bothering those end-of-year lists. Terrific.

Jane Weaver - Argent
The former Kill Laura singer is back with a new album called The Silver Globe. Lovely psych-type vibes and a Stereolab-ish feel to it all. Just lovely.

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

December already? Blimey. Rapidly closing in on a hundred shows as well. Anyway, let's get this done, eh?

Not Right - Lead Role
I don't like the term 'riot grrrl', but hey ho. Very punk anyway. I get a slight hint that it's something to do with a lack of gender balance in media representation. Off a Tuff Enuff compilation called I Know Why The Caged Grrrl Sings.

Robb Johnson - Know Your Place
More folk, but making similar points, and off his album Us And Them which came out in July.

Fat White Family - Is It Raining In Your Mouth?
New single from these. And why not? Great stuff.

Cover Version CornerThe Four Seasons/The Fall - Walk Like A Man
A live version from the Fall, recorded 10 years ago - or put in Fall years about 13 different line-ups. Before that, from 1963 and the album Big Girls Don't Cry And 12 Others.

Slum Of Legs - Razorblade The Tape
From an album of the same name, these are a 6-piece from Brighton. Really good stuff.

India Mill - Caribesque
To Darwen in Lancashire now. Under Every Sky is the album.

Ought - Pill
Continuing west, a long way west, to Montreal. Once More With Feeling is the EP which came out in October.

Caught In The Wake Forever - The Passing
Fraser McGowan from Paisley is Caught In The Wake Forever and this is on an EP called Evidence Of Fractures.

Cut Hands - The Claw
That is quite stunning. William Bennett from Edinburgh is Cut Hands and this is off the album Festival of The Dead.

Tuff Love - Slammer
From Edinburgh to Glasgow for this one. The EP is called Junk. Really good, in my fifty records of the year.

One Degree of SeparationThe Stranglers - Four HorsemenAphrodite's Child - Four Horsemen
Obvious connection. The latter I've played before on the show and I don't normally do repeats. On this occasion, no problem as it's just a great record. Off the 1972 album 666. Before that, and a bit proggy in it's own way, from the album The Gospel According To The Meninblack which came out in 1981.

Boothroyd - NYC
There are a lot of good ideas here, but the whole is a bit disjointed. File under curio. The EP is Idle Hours.

Ghost Culture - Giudecca
After stumbling over pronouncing it a few times... James Greenwood is from London and the album Ghost Culture is out in January. Reminds me of early Human League among other things.

Giorgio Moroder - 74 Is The New 24
I'm substantially more pleased that the Daft Punk collaboration spawned a renaissance for Moroder than, for example, Nile Rodgers. Disco really ain't my thing. Anyway, this doesn't sound like anyone else and that's absolutely fine. The album, of the same name, is due early next year.

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

New PSB this week! And two Faerground Accidents tracks, sort of. You'll see.

King Tuff - Danger In The Dark
Apparently used in a rum advert - I don't know, I'm one of those people that mute adverts the moment they come on. It's also on an album called Black Moon Spell which came out in September. Far more interesting. Kyle Thomas is King Tuff. He's from Vermont.

Girl One and The Grease Guns - Bashed, Beaten and Broken (Trip The Switch)
One band clinging to the old practice of having stupid names, a lot harder to do in the information age than last time it was popular. Sissy Space Echo, Warren Betamax, Bruce Leefax and Charles Bronson Burner. Good effort. This is out on Squirrel Records.

Cheatahs - Controller
Lovely stuff as Cheatahs follow up their well-received debut album with an EP called Sunne.

Cover Version CornerPulp/Bonar Faerground - Babies
It's probably a right of passage for Sheffield bands to do a Pulp cover. The lead singer of Faerground Accidents - of which more later - is a flamboyant chap and the stripped-back nature of this track really shows his voice off. Before that, from 1994's His n Hers. Wonderful.

Colleen Green - Pay Attention
Throwing forward to February now and Ms Green's new album I Want To Grow Up. There is nothing about this I do not like.

Ty Segall - It's Over
I've been meaning to play something off Segall's latest album for a while. It came out in August, but I just keep filling the show up with other stuff. Anyway, here you go. Manipulator is the album you're looking for.

Goodnight Lenin - You Were Always Waiting
West coast vibes from the West Midlands. Cracking track off In The Fullness Of Time which was released yesterday.

Thurston Moore - The Best Day
As for Ty Segall, so it goes here. This is the title track from his October release. It's splendid.

Public Service Broadcasting - Gagarin
New stuff from PSB! The forthcoming album is all space related, starting with this ode to the first great hero of the space race.

Faerground Accidents - Back In Town
The lyrics and general vibe could easily be Pulp. Psychotic pop, they call it. Fair enough. On a double-A side with We Hate The Same Things which was released yesterday.

One Degree of SeparationModest Mouse - I've Got It All (Most)The The - The Beat(en) Generation
A double link with the parentheses obvious and the involvement of Johnny Marr less so. That The The record easily as relevant today as it was in 1989.

Fumaça Preta - Vou Me Libertar
This has got the lot, including some Mark E Smith-esque keyboard noodling. A collective of UK, US and Venezuelan musicians, this is out now as a 7". I'm Gonna Be Free, before you ask.

Wand - Clearer
Retro, but entirely in vogue a la Toy, Temple Songs and suchlike. On an album called Ganglion Reef which is out now.

HVOB - Window
To Vienna to finish and this wonderful slice of trance. Her Voice Over Boys. The title track of their new EP which is out on the 28th.

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Hello again. Show of two halves here, the back half being populated with some lengthy tunes.

Silver Arm - Scatterbrainzz
More noise from this bunch of noisy noisersons. Out yesterday as a digital-only single on Big Tea records.

The Crytearions - No Escaping
Jimmy Monaghan from Galway is The Crytearions. Also, I see what he's done there. Off his album These Songs Hate You which came out in September.

Moth - Young Future
Something of early Echo and The Bunnymen about this, which can't ever be a bad thing. They're from Copenhagen and it's off the album First Second which came out in June.

Cover Version CornerSerge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot/Luna with Laetitia Sadier - Bonnie And Clyde
Lovely stuff. With Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab on vocals, the latter one switches the roles with the female singer the one who can actually sing. With the best will in the world, Bardot was a lot like when Nico sang with the Velvet Underground. Still, it works. The original came out in 1968 and was on two albums, Gainsbourg's Initials BB and the Gainsbourg/Bardot album called Bonnie And Clyde. The other one is from 1995 and is on Luna's LP Penthouse.

Shopping - Long Way Home
One that reminds me of something I can't quite put my finger on. In a good way, like. It's a year old now, but I'm only just getting to it. Off the album Consumer Complaints.

Poundstore Riot - Bobby's Basement
Two tracks that are collaborations between members of other bands now. First, this from Ash Cooke from Pulco and Stu Kidd from BMX Bandits. The album Writing The Wrongs is out now on Folkwit Records and is really good. This is particularly fine though - lyrically and musically beautiful.

Ultimate Painting - Three Piers
This one sees James Hoare from Mazes and Veronica Falls' Jack Cooper. The self-titled album came out three weeks ago. Well worth your time.

Samuraj Cities - The Things Kids Call Rock n Roll
Back to Scandinavia now, to Gothenburg. Another one from last year - May last year in fact - off the album Metallic.

Bonobo - Pelican
To the long records now, starting with this from Simon Green, aka Bonobo. His new EP is out on December 1, it's called Flashlight and it's predictably very good.

One Degree of SeparationSimple Minds - Theme For Great CitiesLaTour - BlueOne of the great instrumentals from Simple Minds. Easy to forget they were once at the cutting edge of something. It's been chopped up, sampled, covered and all sorts since, including that from William LaTour. That dates from 1991 and the album LaTour. It also featured on the Basic Instinct soundtrack. The original is from 1981 and you can find it on the compilation album Themes For Great Cities '79-'81.

Menj Kapálni - NépvándorlásTo Hungary now, which I believe is a first for this show. The album is Náspángoló which came out in July on Hudini Records. Just don't ask me how to pronounce any of this. I'm going to go learn what those accents mean in Hungarian later.

Stephan Bodzin and Marc Romboy - Kerberos
I've been trying to play this for ages in it's full, unadulterated, nine-minute form, but kept having to drop it as I simply didn't have the time. But here we are. Stephan is from Bremen and Marc from Mönchengladbach and this came out in September on Systematic Records.

Virginia Wing - Meshes
And we end with what might be my favourite track of the year. Certainly there isn't much time to come up with better. Absolutely top drawer stuff and right up my street. The band are from East London - as in the eastern part of the capital of the UK, not the city in South Africa - and their debut album, Measures Of Joy, is out now. This is just fantastic.

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Shellac - Riding Bikes
Off the new album Dude Incredible, their first in seven years, which came out in September on Touch & Go. Go get it. Go now, then get back here pronto.

The Blue Dawns - Refuse To FollowFrom York, which is a city that hasn't been well-served musically down the years, with all due respect to Shed 7. This came out a couple of weeks ago on Glass Door Recordings.

The Young Sinclairs - You're Tied
Off the album This Is The Young Sinclairs, which is a nonsense tile. These Are... surely, not This Is... Anyway, these are The Young Sinclairs and they're from Roanoke in Virginia. The album is out now.

Cover Version CornerKraftwerk - Das ModelPolykeeper - The Model
I always prefer the German versions of Kraftwerk records. They're just so much more evocative and... efficient. From the 1978 album Der Mensch Maschine. The cover is available as a pay-what-you-like download from the Metal Postcards Bandcamp page and is part of a selection of Asian covers of Kraftwerk tracks. Disco-funk tastic!

Blank Realm - Cleaning Up My Mess
From Brisbane, this is off the album Grassed In which came out in January. Great stuff.

The Growlers - Not The ManA unique sound that they call beach goth. Off the album Chinese Fountain that came out in September.

Dutch Uncles - In 'n' Out
Their fourth album O Shudder isn't out until February, but here's a taster. Picking up pretty much where they left off and ploughing a singular furrow.

Belle and Sebastian - The Party Line
It stands to reason that if Belle And Sebastian were going to go all disco pop on us, they'd do it better than anyone else. Their 9th album, and first in five years, is Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance and comes out in January.

Deerhoof - Mirror Monster
Here's a track from their 12th album, La Isla Bonita, which came out last week. Demands more ear time.

Fugazi - Merchandise
One from way back, well 1990 anyway. Still relevant - you are not what you own.

One Degree of SeparationTyrannosaurus Dead - Bagged And BoardedTEED - Stronger
TEED being Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, which gives you your connection. That track is off the 2012 release Trouble which is exquisite. Before that, a track from the new album, out yesterday, Flying Ant Day.

Tvardovsky - Behind The Universe
That's a belter from Svatoslav Tvartovsky, which I clearly cannot say on air after multiple failed attempts. He's from Kiev and there's an album planned which I trust your appetite is truly whetted for.

Tessela - Nancy's Pantry
A proper speaker-buster. Ed Russell, who is based in Bath these days, records as Tessela and that came out last month on R&S Records. Just a stunning record - more of a soundscape in fact.

Jiboia - Manasha
Save the best until last? Maybe. Oscar Silva from Portugal is a multi-instrumentalist and is the only artist on this track. On an EP called Jiboia, it's available as a pay-what-you-like download from Lovers And Lollipops. You'd be a fool not to.

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

CTMF - Zero Emission
Who needs records longer than two minutes? Given I have several over six minutes... Anyway. The B-side to their recent 7" Punk Rock Enough For Me, which I think I prefer.

Beau - The Night Before TrafalgarI heard an acoustic version of this a couple of weeks ago, but this is the original from the 2012 album Fables And Facades.

Vision Thing - Living With Ghosts
Liverpool alt-folk band whose new LP is called Hauntology. I'll declare an interest - the bassist is a friend which is how I came across it. Still wouldn't have played it if I didn't like it.

Cover Version CornerNick Cave and The Bad Seeds/PJ Harvey - Red Right Hand
PJ Harvey's version may be familiar to viewers of Peaky Blinders, which I understand is on television. Before that, from 1994's Let Love In.

Curxes - Valkyrie
Pronounced Curses and off a forthcoming album called Verxe, which is annoying. The music however, is fantastic. More of this please.

Ωracles - Melt Tonight
To Berlin now and another daft name, albeit replacing a letter with a Greek semi-equivalent rather than the wrong letter. Off their debut EP Standford Torus.

The Horn The Hunt - Find It Free It
Bit closer to home now - Leeds to be clearer. Off their latest LP Terrafidella which is out now.

The Unfortunates - Margate Sands
There are a few bands called The Unfortunates. These ones are from London and this is off an EP called For Boys With One Track Minds which came out in August.

Ghost Society - Under The Sun
To Denmark now and a great track off an album called The Back Of His Hands, Then The Palms. No, me neither.

Hopeku - Ambush
Canada now, Quebec more precisely, off an EP called Kosoku, all of which I got through without tripping over my own tongue.

One Degree of SeparationBarcelona - Kasey KellerJohn MOuse - Robbie Savage
Retired footballers for this week's. Exquisite story-telling from Cardiff's John MOuse off his current LP The Death Of John MOuse. Before that, from 2000 off the album Zero One Infinity.

Shift Work - Scaled To FitI know I've played this before, but so what when it's this good. Seriously, as good a track as I've heard in years.

Hells Kitchen - It's Not For Me
And we round off this week with this from Krasnodar in Russia. Reminds me a lot of mid-period Underworld which can never be a bad thing. The album is called Letters and is out on Festival Lounge.

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Half Man Half Biscuit - Westward Ho! Massive Letdown
Unalloyed joy with the release of a new HMHB record. Urge For Offal is the title, it's as good as they've ever been and this is track one from it.

I, Ludicrous - Cheer Up
New track from these, part of the 21 Songs For John selection on the Unwashed Territories bandcamp page commemorating ten years since the death of John Peel. Available for a short time still.

Postcode - Losing The Battle
Don't think we've had a band from the Isle of Man before. Consider that rectified. From the album Zebratronic which came out in February.

Cover Version CornerTubeway Army/Gary Numan - Are 'Friends' Electric?
Bit of a cheat this, but shows you how his sound has developed since 1979. I went to see him play at Holmfirth earlier in the year and his band are really tight.

The Ex - Maybe I Was The Pilot
From a few years ago now, 2011, some shoegazing from Amsterdam. Super stuff. Off the album Catch My Shoe.

Miss Mobile Home - PhototaxisTo New York now and the title track from an EP that came out in August. Available from their bandcamp and soundcloud pages.

Elemental Gaze - God Knows Why This Should Be Kept For All Time
The third band we've had from Bandung in Indonesia. That's superb. Don't ask me to explain the title though.

Cambodia Space Project - Whiskey CambodiaAnd now to Cambodia. Well, involving musicians from all over, but the point stands. I was actually looking for another track of theirs, but this won me over. From an album of the same name that came out in June.

Mega Emotion - Uncomfortable
And now to Norwich. We've had these on before, but I've little else to report than that.

One Degree of SeparationEight Rounds Rapid - TalentThe Salient Braves - X-Factor Shooting Spree
First, from highlight of 2013 Lossleader and then from a band from Barnsley I've come across in the last few days. The theme should be obvious - excoriation of TV talent shows.

Interpol - My Desire (Factory Floor remix)
Factory Floor produced one of the albums of the year, Interpol's El Pintor isn't half bad either. Mix them together and you get this complete banger.

Orbital - Wonky
Terrible news in the week that Orbital are no more. Having got back together in 2012 following an eight-year hiatus, they've now split for good. Damn shame as it means no more of this.

Cuban Boys - The Nation Needs You (2014)
Another one from the 21 Songs for John compilation, an updated version of their 1999 record which must have been a lot of fun to put together. I think it's safe to say that without John Peel, I wouldn't be doing this kind of thing. A fitting tribute, I think.

Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Yeah Yeah Noh - She Pulls The Petal From The Flower
Their first release in 28 years. They reformed in 2012 and are now gearing up for more releases. Good. Belting stuff.

The John Steel Singers - State Of Unrest
From Brisbane and off the album Everything's A Thread that came out in July.

Mary Joanna and The Southern Electrikk - Wasted
A band that's already split up, which is impressive by any standards. This came out last month, but a bad gig split the band. Mary Joanna is back recording though, so we'll see what happens from here.

Cover Version CornerStereolab/Greys - The Noise Of Carpet
Greys are from Toronto and have rocked up the tone of this cracker from the 1996 Stereolab album Emperor Tomato Ketchup.

The Wave Pictures - Pea Green Coat
Absolutely fantastic. The best rock harmonica work since Lee Brilleaux was a lad. Off their forthcoming album Great Big Flamingo Burning which is a collaborative effort with Wild Billy Chyldish. It's due out in February next year. Can't wait.

Deers - Castigadas En El Granero
To Spain now. Formerly five but now four, it translates roughly as Grounded In The Barn. From the album Barn.

Menace Beach - Come On Give Up
We've had these many times before, but there's finally an album due. Ratworld is due in January.

Warmhammer - Wet Blanket
Off a split cassette with house favourite Keel Her on Suplex records, this came out about three weeks ago.

Autobahn - New Age
Another cover - I should have saved this, but couldn't resist throwing it in. It's an old Blitz number but seems about as relevant as ever. Available as a free download.

Retroject - Webster's English
To Doncaster now and something of a change in tack to a slower, more ska and dub influenced sound. Not that there is the slightest thing wrong with that. Dear me no. Also available as a free download.

One Degree of SeparationFat White Family - I Am Mark E SmithThe Fall - Mountain Energei
That's the new single from the Fat White Family and it's a blatant excuse to shoehorn in another Fall track, this time from The Real New Fall LP from 2003.

Pinkshinyultrablast - Umi
From St Petersburg, this is off a forthcoming LP, their debut. Delightful.

Pix - A Way To Say Goodbye
Doesn't it make you sick? Hannah Brooks is 19. Nineteen. She's making us all look dead bad. How nice is that?

Objekt - Ganzfeld
Finally, some German electronica. Off a split 12" with Dopplereffekt. Banging.

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

You know the score by now, so let's cut the preamble and get straight in. Also, I was late...

See Gulls - Don't Write Me Love Songs
From North Carolina, this came out in April but has only just tickled my ear-drums.

Wild Smiles - Girlfriend
New, from their second album Always Tomorrow which is out in about three weeks time. Good old-fashioned rock n roll.

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Safety In Numbers
Contender for best band name around. Decent ditty too. From the album Unravelling which came out yesterday.

Cover Version CornerLonnie Donegan/The Wedding Present - Cumberland Gap
Bloody love Lonnie Donegan, me. That's a stone-cold classic from 1957. The Wedding Present version appeared on the 1992 compilation Ruby Trax which was issued to celebrate 40 years of the NME.

Gengahr - Powder
A debut single and how have they raised expectations for future releases. They're from North Dakota and it comes out in three weeks.

High Hazels - Banging On My Door
We've played these a few times now and here's a new single. Very typical of their oeuvre.

India Mill - Caribesque
Like that a lot. They're from Darwen and it comes off the album Under Every Sky which came out last month.

Voids - Knowing
From Galway, that's off an EP called Begin which came out a couple of weeks ago.

Rev Rev Rev - Catching A Buzz
From Modena in Italy. That's out in a fortnight. Really rather interesting stuff.

One Degree of SeparationFontella Bass - I Can't RestThe Go! Team - Ladyflash
The latter samples heavily from the former to create your link. The first came out in 1966 and is something of a Northern Soul classic. The latter appears on the album Thunder, Lightning, Strike! which came out in 2004.

Pretty/Disgusting - Lucky Day
I don't play anywhere enough drum n bass on the show. That's the debut effort from these Newcastle purveyors of the genre.

Lukas Beynon - Koi
Finally, to Wales. Terrific stuff from a young lad beginning to make some waves.

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

The Vaselines - High Tide Low Tide
That's how you start a show. From the new album V For Vaselines which came out yesterday. Wonderful stuff.

Bear In Heaven - Autumn
Well it is autumn now. The album Time Is Over One Day Old came out in August. I'm just catching up with that.

Coves - Wake Up
Played these before, but some time ago. The album Soft Friday came out in March, but it's worth going back to dig this out. Wonderful track.

Cover Version CornerThe Fall/Sonic Youth - My New House
The Fall now become my most played band in the two-and-a-bit years we've been doing this show. That's off the 1985 album This Nation's Saving Grace. After that, Sonic Youth. Never put the word 'youth' in a band name. It looks silly further down the line. Anyway, that's off the EP 4 Tunna Brix which came out in 1990.

Thee Faction - Better Than Wages
From last year, but no better time to play it than during the Conservative party conference as they seek out new ways to enfeeble the feeble. Good Politics is the album and they're from Reigate in Surrey.

Broncho - Class Historian
Bronco or Bron-cho? Dunno. I think this could split a room between those that like it and those that find the da-da-das a bit annoying. Anyway, I'm in the former camp. They're from Oklahoma and the album Just Enough Hip To Be A Woman came out two weeks ago.

Keen On Girls - Sea Wave
This is a collaboration of two Californian bands - The Bilinda Butchers and Pastel Ghost. The result is delightful and available on an Eardrums Pop compilation called Between Two Waves - The Second Wave.

Sleep Thieves - You Want The Night
To Dublin now. Off an album of the same name which came out in June.

Joanna Gruesome - Coffee Implosion
The latest single from the show favourites from Cardiff. This is the new release from the acclaimed Weird Sister album.

Vomitface - Sloppy Joes
Terrible, terrible name for a band offset by the fact that this is one of the best things I've heard all year. Off a self-titled EP available from their bandcamp page.

One Degree of SeparationLemonade - Durutti ShoresDurutti Column - Otis
Both owing something to Spanish anarchist Buenventura Durruti who fought against the Francoists as Spain headed to civil war. That Lemonade track is off the album Minus Tide which came out earlier this month and the Durutti Column one from 1989 release Vini Reilly.

Medicine - Move Along Down The Road
When I was putting the show together I thought I liked this. Now I don't think I do. Ah well, that's how it goes sometimes. It's on the album Home Everywhere which is out next month.

The Soundcarriers - Let It Ride
Another poor effort for a name. Would-be bands; do check out @fantasy_bands on Twitter for some suggestions. But their LP Entropicalia which came out in May is bloody brilliant. There will be more from that coming up in future weeks.

Paul Read And The Invisible Band - Circles
A local bunch now. There's an EP due out soon and with a bit of luck some gigs in the vicinity. Hope so anyway. Good stuff, that.

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Back again. Bit of a struggle to get it down to a manageable show, such is the amount of great stuff about at the moment. Anyway, here you go:

The Primitives - Spin-o-rama
You'll remember these from their 1988 hit Crash which is still great. Well they reformed in 2009 and their second album since then is due out next month. It's also called Spin-o-rama. It's like they were never away.

Crybabycry - Go Go
This is Jonny Firth from house favourites Knuckle, only this time alongside Rosie Doonan and Nici Todd to produce something quite remarkable. A real beauty, this.

Super Besse - Приказано ЗабыватьOne of the best things I've heard in ages. This is the first Belarussian band we've had on the show - they're from Minsk - but beyond the fact that Super Besse is a ski station in France and the climb up to it has been used in the Tour de France I don't know a lot about them due to my inability to speak Russian. The title translates as 'ordered to forget'. Thanks to Google Translate for that. Band of the week.Cover Version CornerGershon Kingsley/Caustic Window - PopcornProbably better known is the version by Hot Butter, but Gershon Kingsley - Goetz Ksinski from Bochum - composed it. That's off 1969's Music To Moog By. Caustic Window is one of the names Richard D James - Aphex Twin - has recorded as. His version is off the 1992 EP Joyrex J4.Fat White Family - Auto NeutronAnother track from the acclaimed Champagne Holocaust album which came out last year. Something a bit slower than we've become used to, but showing off their abilities.Hookworms - On LeavingAnother track from the forthcoming album The Hum which comes out in November. It's not so much a change of direction, as other tracks show things we're familiar with. But this shows that there's more to them.Thunder Sanchez - I Start FiresFrom Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. I found these through the power of Twitter after playing a band called Napolleon a while ago. I don't know an awful lot more than that other than if you're after a wrestling name, you can do much worse than Thunder Sanchez.The Proper Ornaments - Step Into The ColdI saw these supporting Toy in Newcastle a while back and they stood up against that standard. Bit of Velvet Undergroundy feel to this, which is rarely a bad thing. It's off the album Woodenhead.The Hidden Cameras - DoomFrom Toronto, this is off an album called Age which came out in January.Wild Billy Chyldish and CTMF - Punk Rock Enough For MeIf it's punk rock enough for Billy Chyldish, it's punk rock enough for anyone. This is out on a 7" now and will feature on the forthcoming album Acorn Man due later in the year.One Degree of SeparationThe Damned - Love SongThe Cure - Love SongTwo tracks separated by ten years and a common name. First from 1979 and the album Machine Gun Etiquette, then from 1989's Disintegration one of the all-time great songs.The Allah-Las - Follow You DownOff the album Worship The Sun which came out last week. A cracker.Chorusgirl - Oh, To Be A DefectorI don't know much about this other than they're from London, it came out in May and I love it.Underworld - BirdstarIt's 20 years since dubnobasswithmyheadman came out, which is frightening in itself. There's an anniversary edition coming out with this as part of it - a track that didn't quite make it. It speaks volumes about the album that this didn't get onto the final cut.Here's that on YouTube:

Wednesday, 10 September 2014

No live session this week, so back to the tried and trusted format of great records.

The Fall - Fibre Book Troll
Always exciting to hear new stuff from The Fall. This is just great. About abuse on social media, if you didn't quite get it. This is available on a compilation from Modeselektor. Volume 3.

Mazes - Salford
From a band from Salford to a track called Salford. They're from London though. From the album Wooden Aquarium which came out yesterday. Bit of a Kings Of Leon feel to it, but with more about it to lift above that level.

Tomorrows Tulips - Glued To You
Dreamy. This is off When which comes out on October 7. It threatens to take off at several points during the record, but always remains reserved. I like that.

Cover Version CornerTeenage Fanclub/Nai Harvest - Ain't That Enough
You can't go too far wrong covering a Teenage Fanclub track. Did they ever make a bad tune? The original is off 1997's Songs From Northern Britain - which it remains at the moment. Nai Harvest are from Sheffield and that came out in March on Art Is Hard.

Zero 7 - Simple Science
About as poppy as I get, but this is the 12" version which I much prefer. All seven-and-three-quarter minutes of it. Gives it more time to develop than the cut-down radio edit.

Total Control - Flesh War
I sat through this trying to work out what it reminded me of. I think it's Sisters Of Mercy. A bit. That's not necessarily a bad thing, by the way. They're from Melbourne and that's off the album Typical System which came out in June.

Peaking Lights - Breakdown
A husband and wife duo from San Francisco, this slice of joy is on Cosmic Logic which is out on October 7.

Riot !n Magenta - Breaking Down
Our first foray to Singapore, which calls to mind an old joke to which the punchline is "well he was no Dean Martin". Anyway, that's the first of three tracks from last year which somehow slipped through the net. This is on an EP called Cloud.

Gap Dream - Shine Your Love
From Cleveland, Ohio this drew me in with those chords at the top that reminded me of Wendy Carlos and her Switched-On Bach. This is on an album called Shine Your Light, again from last year.

Bill Callahan - Ride My Arrow
Joyous. This is off last year's Dream River album of which there is a totally dub version that came out earlier this year. I genuinely don't know which I prefer.

One Degree of SeparationBreakwater - Release The BeastDaft Punk - Robot Rock
Not too tricky this week - it's sampling, the latter of which does a lot of with the first. That Breakwater track is from 1980 and the album Splashdown. The Daft Punk one is from 2001's smaash hit Discovery.

Ought - Habit
From Montreal and the album More Than Any Other Day. Another one that reminds me of something I can't bring to mind. Maybe it doesn't. Bloody good though.

warrenpeace ft Natasha Fox - Indoor Voice
Another one from the quite brilliant album SDR007 and probably the last one I can play on a family station. Great vocals.

Aphex Twin - minipops 67 [120:2] (source field mix)
Here's exciting. The first album from Richard D James in 13 years. Syro is the title and this is the first track released from it. Immediately recognisable as an Aphex Twin track and no less bad for that.

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

We were bumped for football again last week. Stupid midweek games... Anyway, we're back and in a first for the show, we have LIVE MUSIC in the studio.

John MOuse - I Was A Goalkeeper
From the album The Death Of John MOuse which came out in July and was criminally overlooked by myself. I'm making good on it now though. There's a quite remarkable version of the national anthem, On Ilkley Moor Baht 'At, on there as well which is worth seeking out.

Modern Faces - Lufthansa
An unsigned band from Dunfermline, this is part of a double-A side release with Matter Of Time on the flip side to this. I travelled a lot with Lufthansa when I worked in Germany. I always wondered where they found pickles so small to fit in their teeny-tiny pastrami sandwiches. No answers to that conundrum are to be found here, but it's a bloody good tune anyway. It was released last week.

Ravioli Me Away - Cat Call
Quirky, to say the least. From the album The Inevitable Album, which is among the best titles of this and any other year, which came out two weeks ago. It really gets in your head.

Live session, part 1Ross Taylor - Song To Woody (live)
Delighted to welcome Ross to the studio to play us a few tracks, starting with this cover of a Dylan number. We spoke about influences, other projects and the songwriting process as well. I recorded the show and will attempt to get clips of the live sections up on here at some point. Needless to say, I was hoping rather than trusting that this was all going to work, but it did so beautifully. Apologies to Ross for using him as a guinea pig, but someone had to be first. I will definitely be doing it again.

Here he is tuning up, mic and level-checking.

The Pooh Sticks - On Tape
From 1988 and the album Orgasm. Bit of an earworm this, but no less bad for it.

Pulled Apart By Horses - Lizard Baby
Bit of a Leeds-a-thon for the next three tracks starting with this. The new album Blood came out yesterday.

Hookworms - The Impasse
Their debut album Pearl Mystic was quite remarkable, so the expectations for their second are huge. It's coming out in November, it's called the Hum and this is the first release from that. Fantastic.

Flies On Me - Can You Smell That Burning Noise?
Self-styled musical revolutionaries, this is available as a free download from their bandcamp page. And well worth getting hold of, just as I did.

The Landseers - The Royal We
It's things like this that make Twitter work for me. Without chatting to, ostensibly, strangers about the Tour de France, I'd not have found it.

Teen Brains - Fluke
Another one from the compilation put out by Beech Coma records - volume 2, specifically.

Live session, part 2Ross Taylor - A Story For Louise (live)Ross Taylor - The Garden (live)
Two Taylor originals for the second part of our live session. Both can be found on the forthcoming EP also called The Garden. For more of Ross, check out his Facebook page and he's on Soundcloud too. Do check him out. We'll definitely be having him back in and huge, huge thanks again to him for coming in.

warrenpeace - Hungry
And now for something completely different... The album release passed me by, which is odd as I've played a track from it ages ago. The whole, SDR007, is a work of twisted genius fusing manic guitar and some heavy beats. Well worth checking out.

Whilst - Umgebung
From the EP Everything There Was Was There, which is easy for me to say.

Shift Work - Scaled To Fit
And to end, this from an EP of the same name. The best thing I've heard this year, maybe in five years, maybe even in ten. Utterly brilliant. I've basically had it on a loop for a fortnight. Absolutely love it.

Here's most of that on YouTube:

and some of it on Soundcloud:

and I'll try to get the live bits up somewhere at some point.
Back next week.

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

I seem to have picked out an awful lot of very similar things this week. I guess that's what I've been listening to in the previous week, so that's what you're getting. To business:

Allo Darlin' - Romance And Adventure
Can't believe that it's taken 85 shows for me to get round to these. They've a new album on the way, We Come From The Same Place, due in October and that's the first release from it. Delightful.

Trust Fund - Reading The Wrappers
A while ago, I played the latest from Joanna Gruesome which was a split 12" with Trust Fund. So I figured it was about time I played the Trust Fund contribution to that release. So here you are.

Dark Train - Battles
Don't know a lot about these. Just that they're from Brighton and I like this.

Cover Version CornerNancy Sinatra/Elastic Sleep - You Only Live Twice
Oft-covered Bond theme from 1967. But Cork's Elastic Sleep make it sort of other-wordly. Sheer delight.

Heavyball - Hands Up
More from London-based Nottingham ska merchants and show favourites. This, I suggest, is possibly their best yet, showing as it does a bit more range than previous stompers. Intelligent, lyrically and musically.

Los Angeles Police Department - She Came Through (Again)
From LA, unsurprisingly. That's so gentle and lovely.

Tyrannosaurus Dead - Post Holiday Dead Song
From Brighton, and with a debut album coming later in the year, that's a lot jollier than the rather morbid title suggests.

Virgin Kids - Life Support
I know virtually nothing about these other than this is great and is out on Art Is Hard records.

Abbatoir Blues - Blinded
Named, presumably, for the Nick Cave song. That's on a compilation by their record company, Beech Coma volume 2.

Slaves - Hey
Rocking Tonbridge to it's core. This is available as a free download from their record company, Fonthill Records.

Napolleon - Erasable Eraser
We've definitely not had anything from Indonesia before, so consider that rectified. I've no idea how much traction bands like Neu! or Mogwai have on the archipelago, but this is remarkable anyway.

One Degree of SeparationXTC - Dear GodThe Vaselines - Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam
The link is great characters from ancient fiction. First, from 1987's Skylarking, then from the 1988 EP Dying For It.

Perfume Genius - Queen
Brilliant. Mike Hadreas is Perfume Genius. He's from Seattle and the album Too Bright is out no September 23.

Mega Emotion - B R A I N S
The EP Fake Feelings that this is on came out on April 21, but I've only just got round to it. Glad that I have. That's outstanding.

LV and Josh Idehen - Shake
Reconvening three years on from their debut collaboration, they're back with a new long player. Islands is out on September 15. Big, bassy, brilliant.

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Unceremoniously bumped for pre-season football last week, this week's show is what I'd have played last week had Town not had Premier League opposition. Remember last week? Town even had a manager back then. Halcyon days, those... Anyway, back to it.

The Horrors - In And Out Of Sight
Great opener to any show. Off their album Luminous which came out in May, that's the latest single. They're a band I feel I probably ought not to like, but every now and then they put out something really good like this. It's almost infuriating.

Heavyball - Another Country
Love these to bits. This is their latest. When we getting an LP, fellers?

Honeyblood - Super Rat
Off the album Honeyblood, that's glorious. They're a two-piece from Glasgow.

Cover Version CornerMarvin Gaye/Gil Scott Heron - Inner City Blues
Released ten years apart, but no less relevant in 1981 when Gil Scott Heron recorded it as it was in 1971. Suppose it's no less relevant now as well, another 33 years on.

Kindred Shins - The Smoker Never Quits
From last year's Yes To Rioting Notoriety, that's some splendid bluesy rock.

Naomi Punk - Television Man
Looking way into the future now. The album this is off, also called Television Man, isn't out until October. Wishing my life away...

Even As We Speak - Falling Down The Stairs
Going back a bit with this one, to 1993. From Sydney, this came out on an LP called Feral Pop Frenzy.

Kult Country - Trembling Moon
These are from Manchester. I missed this when it came out in June. Happy to have it on my radar now.

Owl John - Red Hand
Based in Mull and LA it says here, which I suppose is nice work if you can get it. Really like that though. Not sure what it reminds me of.

Pow! - 66
I know pretty much nothing about these, just that that's off an album called Hi-Tech Boom which came out in July and that I like it.

One Degree of SeparationBedlam - Harvest MoonHarry Nilsson - Coconut
Supreme silliness from Harry Nilsson, off the 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson. Before that, Cozy Powell and Bedlam from their self-titled 1973 long player. The link? Reservoir Dogs.

Teleman - Skeleton Dance
This is the latest release from the critically-acclaimed album Breakfast, which is ace. A complete joy.

Grimes ft. Blood Diamond - Go
A bit more commercial than her previous stuff, moreso than what got me interested in the first place anyway, but not completely terrible.

Eat Lights, Become Lights - Velocet Vir Nesat
Still not sure if that's a decent name for a band or not. Still, pretty decent stuff. From the album Into Forever which came out in May.

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

Still on the goofballs. I'll level with you - having this to prepare is at least giving me something to focus on during the week. Anyway, no time for self-pity. Let's crack on.

Joanna Gruesome - Jerome (Liar)
Show favourites from Cardiff return with a split single alongside Trust Fund. Not sure how they're going to spin that into a 12" at 100 seconds long, but hey ho. It's out in September.

Toy - As We Turn
Not my favourite off Join The Dots, but still better than most things around at the moment. This is the new single.

Menace Beach - Lowtalkin'
From Leeds, this is the reverse of the double-A side with Tennis Court that we played a few weeks ago. Out on September 1, top stuff as ever.

Cover Version CornerDionne Warwick/Julia Holter - Don't Make Me Over
Two great voices. Julia Holter's version came out yesterday on a double-A with a cover of Hello Stranger, the old Barbara Lewis record. Warwick's version is from 1962, her debut single in fact. You can find that on the album Presenting Dionne Warwick.

Kid Wave - All I Want
When I was putting the show together, I don't remember liking that as much as I did just then. Terrific. That's their debut single and comes out on August 8.

Keel Her - Single Room
Big fan of hers, here's more evidence as to her brilliance. Always inventive, always worth listening to.

Tacocat - Bridge To Hawaii
How good's that? Not sure logistics is their thing though, as wherever you started building the bridge, it'd take a lot of doing. That's the first release from their new album NVM.

Autobahn - Pale Skin
I've been after playing these for a wee while now. They're from Leeds and this is off their EP called 2. It's right up my street, that's for sure.

The Drums - Magic Mountain
A new album is coming from these. Encyclopedia is the title and it hits the shelves on September 23. This is the first single and if it's indicative of the rest of the LP, it'll be a winner.

Horsebeach - Dull
Odd title, great tune. It came out in February but totally passed me by at the time. Happy to have rectified that.

One Degree of SeparationFredrika Stahl - Midday MoonDJ Shadow - High Noon
Another great voice on Stockholm's Fredrika Stahl. A beautiful record, that. That's off an LP called Off To Dance which came out last year. Second, off Pre-Emptive Strike from 1998, unmistakeably DJ Shadow. 12pm is your connection, obviously.

Gidge - I Fell In Love
Gidge are also Swedish. Jonatan Nilsson and Ludvig Stolterman, more sepcifically. That's the first release from their forthcoming and as yet untitled debut LP.

Dayglo Maradona - Rock Section
Julian Cope, right. He wrote this novel called One Three One. It's brilliant and the (anti) hero is called Rock Section. He (Rock Section) had hits in the '80s and '90s and Cope has made some of them; fill the back story, like. This is Section's 1989 smash as baggy morphed into rave and all that. Either way, it stands up on it's own. Available now as a pay-what-you-like download from Bandcamp.

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

I'm really not with it. My prescription is playing havoc with my head, so this is rather phoned in this week. Indeed, I can only really provide you a list of tracks and minimal commentary. Bear with me - my head will straighten out in time.

St Etienne - DJ
Great star. I reckon I'd not get bored listening to Sara Cracknell reading the phone book.

Kill It Kid - I'll Be The First

Cruising - You Made Me Do That
Noisy, like we like it.

Cover Version CornerHasil Adkins/Druggy Pizza - Chicken Walk
I was looking for something else by Druggy Pizza, found this and figured why not?

Art Brut - Emily Kane
Because why not

High Hazels - Misbehave
New, excellent, record of the week

Some Minor Noise - Deadhead
*bad word warning*

The Crookes - Yes, Yes, We're Magicians
From a while ago, but what the hey?

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

King Creosote - For One Night Only
What a great way to start. I always like a singer who sings in their own accent which Kenny Anderson definitely does. Off his new album From Scotland With Love which is out next Monday.

Martha - 1997, Passing In The Hallway
These are from Durham, which you can also tell from the voice. The album is Courting Strong which came out in May. It's a delight.

Royal Blood - Figure It Out
Terrific. From Brighton, this is off their self-titled debut album which is out in August.

Cover Version CornerBob Marley and The Wailers/Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
We try to get two versions that are very different. Great track from Marley's 1976 LP Rastaman Vibration then re-tooled by SLF for their 1979 debut Inflammable Material to reflect the situation in Northern Ireland at the time. It's also at the forefront of when punk started taking in reggae influences more and more.

By The Sea - I See A Crystal Sky
That reminds me of a few things none of which are particularly obvious. Like it lots. The album is Endless Day, Crystal Sun and is out on August 18.

Spinner Fall - By Numbers
Not 100% sure on this one. I think I like it, but it could quite easily disappear like Foals or somesuch. For now, it gets a tentative thumb up. They're from Oxford and that's on an Audioscope compilation of Oxford bands which is raising money for Shelter.

Land Observations - On Leaving The Kingdom For The Well-Tempered Continent
This is interesting. The album is The Grand Tour and comes out on July 28, described by James Brooks who is Land Observations as 'an imaginary travelogue through Western, Central and Southern Europe'. Every track takes up a part of that journey. Top stuff.

Wild Smiles - Never Wanted This
Throwing forward to October now... That's when the Wild Smiles album Always Tomorrow comes out from which this is taken. I think they've just about enough to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

White Lung - In Your Home
In a similar vein, but from Vancouver rather than Hampshire, this is off an album called Deep Fantasy. I think it came out yesterday. Either way, it's available now.

Half Japanese - In It's Pull
What a treat. They're back, after 13 years away. The new album is Overjoyed and comes out on September 2 and this is the first release from that. Great to have them back.

One Degree of SeparationJulian Cope - Robert MitchumPhantogram - Bill Murray
Of course the link is Hollywood stars as song titles. First from Skellington, recorded in 2 days in 1989 in sessions after completing My Nation Underground which was so not Julian Cope it was untrue. Second was from the album Voices which we've played a couple of tracks from. It came out in February and is really good.

Whirr - Mumble
Shoegaze and grunge never died. They just jumped in alongside each other in tracks like this. They're from San Francisco, the album is Sway and it's out on September 29. Love it.

Pye Corner Audio - Black Mist
The mysterious Head Technician is back with a new EP, also called Black Mist. It's out on August 18. I could listen to that over and over. Maybe a hint of the Doctor Who theme in there?

Scanner - Backwood
And we close with Robin Rimbaud. Off the album Electronic Garden which came out in March. Typically sublime.

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Loaded up on prescription meds, I've rather phoned this one in. Bear with me.

Molly Bloom - All Pressure
Punk-folk, they call it. Which seems fair. They're from Ramsbottom and this is the title track from their new LP which is out now.

Christian Fitness - Soft Power Itches
Another one available to stream from Andy Falkous's new project as he seeks to crowdfund the resources to be able to complete an album. Fingers crossed. He's always worth listening to.

H Grimace - Cavepainter
Another one on house favourite label Art is Hard. Top stuff as ever.

Cover Version CornerNeil Young/The Horn The Hunt - Heart Of Gold
A super version from Leeds outfit The Horn The Hunt, which is what we want from this section. That was on the B side of their single Starless which came out in March. Before that, from the 1971 album Harvest, of course it was Neil Young.

Tythe - The Light feat. Rachel Dadd
Julian Peck is Tythe and that's super. From his debut album And Also With You which is out now.

Dena - Games
Don't think we've had a Bulgarian artist on before, so consider that box checked. Denitza Todorova is Dena and her debut album, Flash, came out in March.

Superfood - Right On Satellite
I'm reliably informed that these are being spoken very highly of in the music press. Good for them. It's an enjoyable ditty and is released on the 28th of this month.

The History Of Apple Pie - Shake
Intriguing name, lovely track. This will be on their new album, as yet without a name, which will be out later in the year.

Big Deal - Always Boys
Because it's always boys with guitars. Far too much of that around. Off the EP Sakura which is out next week.

Manflu - James Chance Coronary
Noisy, like we like it. From the Joys Of Life LP which is out next week.

One Degree of SeparationNew Order - True FaithElectronic - Disappointed
Probably done this link before, but what the hey. From Electronic's second album, Songs From The Cool World in 1992, the supergroup which included New Order's Bernard Sumner. Before that, from Substance which came out in 1987.

Watermät - Bullit
Don't know a huge amount about the artist, but that's got summer floor-filler written all over it. From the album Bullit which came out in March.

Fran Seven - Time For
Dutchman Mikel Hoogland records as Fran Seven. This is off his EP Ripples In Time which came out last week.

Soft As Snow - Black Birds
From Norway, but based in London, their debut EP Glass Body comes out on the 21st of this month. Delightful stuff.

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Guantanamo Baywatch - Love This Time
Best band name in the world is a tough title to claim, but this has to come close. Good old garage rock from Portland. The EP is Surf And Turf, split with another band called Natural Child, which came out last December.

Anna Of The North - Sway
An unusual combo of a Norwegian singer, Anna Lotterud, and a New Zealand producer, Brady Daniell-Smith, which is about as far away as it's possible to be without leaving the earth's gravitational pull. The outcome is pretty darn decent though. This is their debut single.

The Hi-Life Companion - Dark Heart
To Bristol now and some very zeitgesity (yes, I know, I hate myself) rock music. Our Years In The Wilderness is the album which came out a couple of weeks ago.

Cover Version CornerJulian Cope/Fear Of The Forest - Charlotte Anne
I've had this one on the list for a while, but kind of got to do it this week with the release of Julian Cope's first novel - 131: A Gnostic, Time-Shifting, Hooligan Road Novel - which I acquired last week, am currently eight or ten chapters into and bloody loving it. Fear Of The Forest call themselves 'punk baroque', given their proclivity for using traditional instruments along with more modern gear. There's definitely a hurdy-gurdy on there. Great song anyway, from Cope's 1988 album This Nation Underground, probably his most poppy and least well-received.

Waiters - Perpetual Notion
From Manchester, their debut EP is What For Art Thou?, which is a great title, and comes out next month. It's an all-round pretty good showcase of their talents.

Christian Fitness - Teeth
Search for 'christian fitness' in a popular search engine and you'd be amazed what you'd find. This, however, is the latest side project of Future Of The Left front man Andy Falkous. There's to be an album forthcoming hopefully, if his crowd-funding effort comes off. The last FotL album was crowd-funded, so fingers crossed there's enough out there for him to complete this.

Beverly - Honey Do
Love that. Delightful tune. They're from New York city, the album is Creatures and comes out today, so you're bang up to date with it.

The Otherness - Now On And So On
To Argentina now, specifically Comodoro Rivadivia in Patagonia. Splendid garage-style rock.The Yearning - If I Can't Have You
From Oxfordshire, their debut album was launched yesterday. It's called Dreamboats And Lemonade.

Lia Ices - Thousand Eyes
So many really lovely tracks tonight of which this is one. From Westport, Connecticut, the album Ices comes out in September.

One Degree of SeparationLed Zeppelin - Black DogRobert Plant - Little Millie
I shan't insult your intelligence by asking you to find the link. It's mainly an excuse to play Robert Plant's new single from the album Lullaby And... The Ceaseless Roar which is out in September. Great tune, that. Before that, from 1971 and the album Led Zeppelin IV.

The Mor Paranoids - Things That Make You Go Paranoid
That's just ace. The quirky sort of thing I really like. Circular is the album - presumably in physicality as well as name - and came out in April.

Gary Numan - Love Hurt Bleed
From his last album, Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind) which came out last year, I play that for two reasons. One, it's a top record and two, he plays Holmfirth on Thursday which I'm rather looking forward to.

Max Cooper - Woven Ancestry (Olaf Stuut remix)
Finally, this from Belfast producer Max Cooper. The original was on an album called Human which came out in April. Then an album of remixes, Inhuman, surfaced on which one of them was by Amsterdam producer Olaf Stuut. The result is quite marvellous.

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Tennis - Never Work For Free
Not that we should still be having a debate about a fair days pay for a fair days work any more, but we are. Tennis are a husband and wife duo - Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley - and the album, Ritual In Repeat, is out in September.

Silver Arm - Bad Blood
Another track from the excellent He Of The Slow Creep EP which came out in March and probably my favourite.

Menace Beach - Tennis Court
I suppose I should have played this after the Tennis track, but didn't think of that when I was putting the show together. Oh well. From Leeds, this is out on a double-A side single in September.

Cover Version CornerNancy Sinatra/Pharmakon - Bang Bang
I've kind of stuffed this up a bit this week. I heard the Pharmakon version in the week and though immediately that it'd be a nice juxtaposition with the original, which I assumed to be the Nancy Sinatra one. It's certainly the first that springs to mind, but it is a cover itself, of a Sonny and Cher track. Oh well, as long as I don't let on, it'll be fine. Sinatra from 1966 and the album How Does That Grab You? Pharmakon is New York artist Margaret Chardiet and that is on the album Todo Muerde Volume 4 which came out in April.

Broadcast - I Found The F
From Birmingham and from 2005 on the album Tender Buttons. No reason. Just like it.

The Rhubarb Triangle - Wakefield City Blues
What a splendid name for a band. From the area for which they are named, that's their debut single which came out in April. Looking forward to hearing more from them.

The Archie Bronson Outfit - In White Relief
I'm never sure about saxophones in rock and feel it didn't really work here. Other than that, an excellent record. From the album Wild Crush which came out last month.

The Wytches - Wire Frame Mattress
Wonderful low-fi stuff from the Peterborough outfit. The album is Annabel Dream Reader and it's out on August 25.

Astral Pattern - Faraway
What an utter joy. Off the EP Light Poems which is out next week.

Baston - Alamo
Don't know much about these other than they hail from Rennes. Good stuff whatever and I'll be seeking out more.

One Degree of SeparationThe Stranglers - (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister
Parentheses is your link, rather obviously when it's written down. And they're both great records. First, from their 1977 debut Rattus Norvegicus and secondly from their self-titled debut in 1989.

Violeta Vil - Carne
Probably the first Venezuelan record I've played on the show, this was a non-album track from last year.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Vad Hände Med Dem?
The best record I've heard this week - suppose that makes it my record of the week - I don't know quite why a San Francisco rock band would record a track in Swedish, so just glory in the fact that they did. It means 'what happened with them?', as I know you were wondering. The album is Revelation which came out last month.

Dimitri Veimar - The Boys
Now based in Moscow, German producer Dimitri Veimar released an EP also called The Boys last year. Lovely stuff indeed.

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Hello again. Refreshed from sunning myself in the Bourgogne, let's get straight down to it.

The Tea Street Band - Lost For Words
From their self-titled debut album due out on the 23rd of this month, the new big thing to emerge from Liverpool.

Los Campesinos! - Little Mouth
Since their last album, they've not been idle. This is from the soundtrack to what is described as 'low-budget hipster romcom' Benny And Jolene. The film has not had great reviews, but this is a delight.

Avi Buffalo - So What
Four years ago, Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg and band emerged with the hit single What's It In For, which was superb. Since then, we've not heard much, but the new album, At Best Cuckold, is complete and due for release. This is the first track from that.

Cover Version CornerThe Pogues/The Jesus and Mary Chain - The Ghost Of A Smile
Two versions both completely typical of each band. The Pogues could never sound like anyone or anything else and neither could The Jesus and Mary Chain really. The original is off the last Pogues album with Shane MacGowan as a member of the band, 1990's Hell's Ditch. The J&MC version can be found on a compilation of B-sides and rarities called The Power Of Negative Thinking which came out in 2008.

Tijuana Panthers - Cherry Street
Low-fi slacker rock from Long Beach, California, taken from the album Wayne Interest which came out in March.

Dignan Porch - Got To Fly
What they can do in California, they can also do in Tooting. The album is Observatory which came out yesterday.

Sweet Benfica - Weird Beard
I don't know much about these. They're brothers from somewhere in mid-Wales and that's all I've got. Good though, innit.

Princess - Neverlook
Another band I know little of, other than they're from Dublin. A delight, whatever.

Wozniak - El Maresme
Now this is interesting. From Edinburgh, this came out on an EP called Pikes Peak which came out a couple of weeks ago. Lots going on in there.

Caribou - Can't Do Without You
This is the first release from the forthcoming album Our Love from Daniel Snaith who is Caribou. No release date yet, but if the rest of it is anything like this, it'll be a rare treat.

One Degree of Separationmclusky - To Hell With Good IntentionsFuture Of The Left - The Hope That House Built
Anti-war polemic in the style to which we've become accustomed to from Future Of The Left. That's on the 2009 long-player Travels With Myself And Others. Before that, Andy Falkous's fore-runner outfit mclusky with a track from the 2002 album mclusky Do Dallas.

Transmission 13 - Shimmering Substance
Eno-esque noodlings from mysterious Manchester producer. That's off his 2013 album The Great American Disaster. There's a new one due soon - Time Will Pass You By,